Curcumin–Coumarin Hybrid Analogues as Multitarget Agents in Neurodegenerative Disorders

Neurodegenerative diseases have a complex nature which highlights the need for multitarget ligands to address the complementary pathways involved in these diseases. Over the last decade, many innovative curcumin-based compounds have been designed and synthesized, searching for new derivatives having anti-amyloidogenic, inhibitory of tau formation, as well as anti-neuroinflammation, antioxidative, and AChE inhibitory activities. Regarding our experience studying 3-substituted coumarins with interesting properties for neurodegenerative diseases, our aim was to synthesize a new series of curcumin–coumarin hybrid analogues and evaluate their activity. Most of the 3-(7-phenyl-3,5-dioxohepta-1,6-dien-1-yl)coumarin derivatives 11–18 resulted in moderated inhibitors of hMAO isoforms and AChE and BuChE activity. Some of them are also capable of scavenger the free radical DPPH. Furthermore, compounds 14 and 16 showed neuroprotective activity against H₂O₂ in SH-SY5Y cell line. Nanoparticles formulation of these derivatives improved this property increasing the neuroprotective activity to the nanomolar range. Results suggest that by modulating the substitution pattern on both coumarin moiety and phenyl ring, ChE and MAO-targeted derivatives or derivatives with activity in cell-based phenotypic assays can be obtained.     

Anticholinesterase,antioxidant activity and phytochemical investigation into aqueous extracts from five species of Agrimonia genus

Aqueous extracts of aerial flowering parts of five Agrimonia species (Rosaceae): Agrimonia coreana Nakai, Agrimonia japonica (Miq.) Koidz, Agrimonia procera Wallr., Agrimonia eupatoria L. and Agrimonia leucantha Kunze were investigated on their antioxidant activity, measured using five different methods; the best was the extract from A. procera with IC₅₀ values from 6 to 29 μg/mL. All the extracts displayed inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) at the tested concentration of 100 μg/mL. We found the highest inhibition of cholinesterase in the extract of A. japonica with inhibition 70.4% for AChE and 79.8% for BuChE. These findings are statistically significant in comparison with those of other extracts (p < 0.001). The phytochemical analyses showed that the antioxidant activity of Agrimonia extracts can be affected especially by hexahydroxydiphenoyl (HHDP)-glucose and quercetin glycosides, and inhibition of cholinesterases by apigenin, luteolin and quercetin glycosides.     

1,3-Disubstituted p-tert-Butylcalix[4]arenes as Cholinesterase Inhibitors

The inhibitory effect of 1,3-substituted p-tert-butylcalix[4]arenes on butyrylcholinesterase from horse serum has been discovered and kinetically investigated with photometric microassay techniques. The interaction of calix[4]arene with the enzyme is described in accordance with the formal kinetics of competitive reversible inhibition. The inhibition constants calculated depend on the substituent in the lower rim of the calix[4]arene and vary in the range of (5–110) × 10^-6 M. The proposed mechanism of inhibition involves the cooperative interaction of indophenyl acetate used as a substrate, calix[4]arene and the enzyme without any covalent or electrostatic binding of the functional groups in the active site of cholinesterase. This results in the coordination of the calixarene on the enzyme surface in the proximity of the enzyme active site. Such interaction prevents the substrate from entering the enzyme active site.     

用于农药残留快速检测的两种酶的比较

以商品乙酰胆碱酯酶(C3389,Ⅵ-S,从电鳗中提取)和自制鸡肝酶为农药检测用酶,比较了不同浓度的敌敌畏、敌百虫、马拉硫磷和西维因对这两种酶的乙酰胆碱酯酶活力和总酯酶活力的抑制情况。结果表明,鸡肝酶的乙酰胆碱酯酶活力较低,而其总酯酶活力对4种农药的灵敏度与商品乙酰胆碱酯酶活力的灵敏度相近,且总酯酶活力对除马拉硫磷外的其余3种农药的检出限都较乙酰胆碱酯酶低。同时对总酯酶活力测定的pH进行了优化,发现pH6．5(40mmol／L柠檬酸盐缓冲液)时总酯酶活力较高。     

Bis(7)-Tacrine, a promising anti-Alzheimer's agent, attenuates glutamate-induced cell injury in primary cultured cerebrocortical neurons of rats

The effects of bis(7)-tacrine, a novel dimeric acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor, on glutamate-induced cell injury were investigated in primary cerebral cortical neurons of rats. Exposure of cultured neurons (12 days after plating) to 0.5 mmol/L glutamate for 30 min resulted in significant cell damage. Pretreatment with bis(7)-tacrine (0.03–1.0 μmol/L) reduced the glutamate-induced neurotoxicity in a concentration dependent manner and the maximal response was seen at 1 μmol/L with approximately, 30% protection. A receptor binding assay showed that bis(7)-tacrine can completely displace MK-801 binding to rat cortical membrane with an IC₅₀ of 0.57 μmol/L. These findings suggest that bis(7)-tacrine can directly interact with N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor channel complex, which may contribute to the inhibitor's protective effects against glutamate-induced excitotoxicity. Thus, it is possible that anti-glutamate/anti-AChE synergism is responsible for potentially better Alzheimer's therapy of bis(7)-tacrine relative to tacrine. Biography: Zhang Bai-fang (1974-), female, Ph. D. candidate, research direction: Alzheimer's disease and ischemia     

Bioactivity-Guided Separation of Anti-Cholinesterase Alkaloids from Uncaria rhynchophlly (Miq.) Miq. Ex Havil Based on HSCCC Coupled with Molecular Docking

As an important source of cholinesterase inhibitors, alkaloids in natural products have high potential value in terms of exerting pharmacological activities. In this study, a strategy for targeted preparation of cholinesterase inhibitors in Uncaria rhynchophlly (Miq.) Miq. ex Havil (UR) by high-speed counter-current chromatography was provided. In the method, a two-phase polar solvent system composed of ethyl acetate/n-butanol/water (1:4:5, v/v/v) was used, which isolated five alkaloids from the UR extract for the first time. All alkaloids were identified by HR-ESI-MS and NMR as 7-epi-javaniside (1), vincosamide (2), strictosamide (3), cadambine (4), and 3α-dihydrocadambine (5). The poorly resolved compounds 2 and 3 were separated by preparative HPLC (prep-HPLC). Among them, compounds 1, 4, and 5 were firstly obtained from UR. The purity of these plant isolates was 98.8%, 98.7%, 99.2%, 95.7%, and 98.5%, respectively. Compounds 1–5 exhibited an inhibitory effect on acetyl-cholinesterase and butyryl-cholinesterase with an IC₅₀ from 1.47 to 23.24 µg/mL and 1.01 to 18.24 µg/mL. Molecular docking and inhibitory activities indicated that compound 1 showed stronger inhibitory activity on acetyl-cholinesterase and butyryl-cholinesterase.     

荧光物质的酯类衍生物用作人血胆碱酯酶底物的研究

合成了几种荧光物质4－甲基伞形酮、荧光素、二溴荧光素的乙酸酯及丁酸酯,研究了它们用作人血胆碱酯酶（ChE）底物进行活性测定的各种条件,通过米氏常数（Km）和人血ChE稀释比曲线的测定系统地比较了六种物质作为底物与ChE作用的特异性和灵敏度。结果表明荧光物质量子产率越高、发射波长越长、酯基的烃基链越长的物质,用作人血ChE活性测定底物的选择性和灵敏度越好。     

Synthesis and Characterization of O,S-Dimethylphosphoramidothioate and N-Acetyl O,S-Dimethylphosphoramidothioate

O,S-Dimethylphosphoramidothioate (methamidophos) and N-acetyl O,S-dimethylphos- phoramidothioate (acephate) were synthesized by new methods to investigate the structure–activity study of acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) inhibition through the parameters of logP, δ ³¹P, and IC₅₀. After their characterization by NMR (³¹P, ³¹P{ ¹H}, ¹³C, and ¹H), IR, and mass spectroscopy, logP and δ ³¹P (³¹P chemical shift in NMR) were used to evaluate lipophilicity and electronical properties. The logP values for methamidophos and acephate were experimentally determined by the GC-shake-flask method, and the ability of the compounds to inhibit human AChE was evaluated by a modified Ellman's assay.

Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Silicon and the Related Elements to view the free supplemental file.     

Phytochemical Constituents and Pharmacological Potential of Tamus communis Rhizomes

Tamus communis L. is a plant distributed in a number of geographical areas whose rhizome has been used for centuries as an anti-inflammatory and analgesic remedy. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge of the chemical composition and biological activity of the extracts or individual compounds of the rhizome. The data for the principal secondary metabolites are systematized: sterols, steroidal saponins, phenanthrenes, dihydrophenanthrenes, etc. Results of biological tests for anti-inflammatory action, cytotoxicity, anticholinesterase effect, and xanthine oxidase inhibition are presented. Some open questions about the therapeutic properties of the plant are also addressed.     

Analytical Application of Microcalorimetry

Abstract

A “bench top” microcalorimeter has been designed and constructed. This instrument, and a more conventional microcalorimeter previously described, have been applied to several analytical determinations including both inorganic and enzymatic reactions. Because of the stability, yet rapid equilibration time of the bench top calorimeter, multiple analyses may be performed. The ease of operation, nearly universal applicability, and the possibility of obtaining thermodynamic as well as kinetic data simultaneously, make this technique extremely useful.